Launching Today: Zaarly.com - a Location-Based, Real-Time Commerce Platform

Earlier this spring, Benzinga had the pleasure of interviewing one of the founders of Zaarly.com, Bo Fishback. Now the site – whose seed investors include Ashton Kutcher (yes, the same Ashton Kutcher that's replacing Charlie Sheen), Lightbank, Felicis Ventures, Bill Lee, Naval Ravikant, SV Angel, Paul Buchheit and Thrive Capital – is officially up and running.

Described as a location-based, real-time commerce platform that “makes the buying and selling of goods, services and experiences easy, safe and secure,” Zaarly is one of the more unique startups of 2011.

How Zaarly Works

• According to the company, consumers can post what they're looking for on Zaarly, describe how much they're willing to pay for it, and announce how soon they need it.

• Zaarly will immediately share that request in the local community through the Zaarly platform. Users may also use Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels to find what they're looking for.

• Nearby people or businesses will see what you want and connect to Zaarly to fulfill your request.

• Zaarly allows buyers and sellers to “anonymously message and talk on the phone to facilitate the logistics of a transaction, enabling an in-person or virtual meeting to complete the transaction,” the company says.

• To pay for the transaction, Zaarly features an integrated credit card payment system, “all within a safe and secure platform.” Users can also pay with cash.

• Zaarly is available on the iPhone, Android, “and all Web-enabled mobile phones via your mobile Web browser, as well as through the Web and Facebook on your desktop computer,” the company says. “The integrated Zaarly platform allows buyers and sellers to connect while they are on-the-go or from the convenience of home or office.”

In addition to Mr. Fishback, Zaarly was founded by Eric Koester and Ian Hunter. All three men are described as “serial entrepreneurs with more than a dozen startups under their belts.”

Zaarly was conceived and prototyped in February 2011 at Startup Weekend Los Angeles, a 54-hour event aimed at entrepreneurs and technologists.

Less than one month later, the founding team had completed the initial version of the application, secured financing, and conducted what Zaarly refers to as a successful “market experiment” at the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) Conference in Austin, Texas, where Zaarly processed over $10,000 in transactions in less than 48 hours.

To learn more about Zaarly, visit the company's website, peruse its Facebook page, and follow this new startup @zaarly.

The company has also started its own channel on Vimeo.

But wait! This is hardly our final goodbye. Benzinga's coverage of Zaarly is far from over. Stay tuned for additional info regarding this intriguing startup, and don't forget to bookmark this page for direct updates.